**** Chapter Twenty Seven: BREWING TAVERN TROUBLE

**** Chapter Twenty Seven: BREWING TAVERN TROUBLE

I felt a knot in my heart and when I tried to open it, more tears rushed out. I was sad. For the horse. For myself. For the fact that I felt lonely. And for the fact that Demon wouldn’t cuddle me and tell me it was okay to make mistakes. But why would he? Demon did not cuddle. Demon did not sympathize. I knew that. Then what was I hoping for?

A soft knock at the door had me running for a handkerchief before I allowed the comer to enter.

“Hey sweetie,” Azure said softly as he smiled kindly at me.

The gentleness of his face unleashed what little tears I had been able to hold back before and I slumped back onto my bed. My room here at the cottage was small, much smaller than the one at the castle in Volttus. But I loved it more. It was warmer in hues; sunny prints and colors splashed across dark wood floors and furniture and lit by fragrant lanterns at night.

Azure sat beside me and pushed a random lock of my hair behind my ear.

“What is it, Aoife?” he asked. “It can’t be just the horse. You know it’s alive and fine.”

“I almost killed it, Azure.” Fresh tears streamed down my cheeks. “I know it’s silly and crazy and disappointing for someone training to be a warrior but – I don't think I can do this war thing. I’m not cut out for it.”

“Come on girl, you’re a Syhlain. Victory is in your blood. And you’ve come a long way to doubt yourself now.” He pressed my hand in his cozy grasp. “And don't worry, in a war the enemy is so mean they all deserve to die. Trust me.”

I shook my head. “I’m not my ancestors, Azure. I feel so – so sick!” “It’s him isn’t it?”

My heart stopped at the question.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He’s pushing you too hard, isn’t he?” Azure smiled kindly and then snapped his fingers. “I know just what you need. Get up!” He jumped off the bed and pulled me by the hand. “Come on let’s go!”

“Wait – where we going?” I said in confusion as he dragged me to the door.

“A night on the town baby!” He yahooed.

“What!” I almost laughed as we sailed through the upstairs hallway. “Demon would kill you! Don’t you remember strict orders not to go out after dark?”

“Ssh!” Azure put a finger to his lips as we started to descend the stairs. The cottage was quiet now since it had been two hours since dinner time. Everyone was of course supposed to be in bed by now. Only the lanterns burned and shadows danced.

Azure led me outside as quietly as a mouse and once we were out on the front yard, he broke into a sprint.

“Come on, run!” He laughed, looking back at me as he dashed forward into the misty night.

His laughter proved contagious and I followed. Sliding on smooth, dewy grass like a carefree child who was just happy for the moment she had. We ran across the fields and the meadows and through the eastern woods until we reached the edge of the forest. As we stopped there, panting and laughing, Azure pointed to the twinkling lights in the shallow valley basin below.

“That there is the town of Sikri.” Azure waved grandly. “Population – fifty.”

“Are you serious?” I gasped in disbelief. Our neighborhood association back at Killen had more members!

He shook his head, laughing. “And they all gather at the big tavern after dark to share stories and dance and sing and laugh. Aoife darling! This will be a night to remember!”

He grabbed my hand and dashed toward Sikri. I ran with him until we tore through the quiet lanes of the tiny town, breathlessly and fearlessly. There was no telling what Demon would do if he saw us now but who cared! That quaint new town had diverted my attention and I felt eager to explore it.

Sikri was a humble, tidy, tiny town of uniform log cottages with red rooftops and white fences and flowerboxes. The downtown area revealed two rows of shops on either side of the brick-lined lane. We arrived at a circular market space where a huge tree stood tall and thick in the center. Behind it, the road straightened and extended between another row of pretty little cottages.

Along the north edge of that circular marketplace a big glass door spilled yellow light. Bold blue letters above it read: Sarai. It looked inviting and Azure led me right in. I squinted a little, not because the lights blinded me or that the blaring music was deafening in contrast to the chirping crickets of the forest but because as soon as I entered, a twirling figure almost rammed into me.

She apologized instantly and earnestly; a young girl with pretty gold locks and smiley eyes. She was just one of the many dancers who graced the spacious rectangular floor before me. Girls and boys. Young and old. Phromaz and Humans! Some were dancing, some were dining, some were standing in corners chatting the night away, others bickered over a deck of cards or round of darts – the place was overflowing with food, festivity and people.

“Other blue folk,” I said to Azure.

“Yes. An entire nation of us and more can be created if Krâl orders so.” He beamed.

It seemed an awful lot more people than the mere fifty that populated Sikri. Azure told me that Sikri was a tourist attraction as well, famous for its handicrafts. It received a fresh batch of travelers and tourists almost every day.

He was holding my arm, our elbows interlocked, as he showed me around the place. I loved everything about it – the lanterns, the laughter, well-used and scarred tables and chairs, and the colorful patchwork skirts that most of the women wore. Thankfully, I didn’t look too out of place in my black tee and workout pants from that same morning.

We were in search of a vacant table when Azure quickly stepped back and hid himself and me behind a big indoor planter.

“It’s him!” he whispered frantically.

“Who?” I took a peek from behind the palm-like leaves and felt my breath instantly escape my body. “Demon!” I firmly placed my hand over mouth. “What’re we gonna do now?”

“Go home.” Azure swiftly turned to go but I pulled him back.

“No! I don't want to!” I whispered fiercely. “And what is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be in bed too?” I stared at the man in question, who was sitting at a table with someone wearing a hooded robe.

“Maybe that’s why he’s here,” Azure said, “to get in bed.”

“I don't think so. That looks like a man with him and they’re talking. What is he drinking? He doesn’t drink right? Do they serve lemonade here?”

“Maybe they do for him. I don't know.” He tugged at my arm. “Let’s just go!”

“Why are you panicking? He can’t bust us for breaking the curfew if he’s here too!”

But Azure wasn’t listening. He pulled my arm again to make me budge. I resisted and the result was devastating. Azure’s hand slipped off my arm and he fell backward onto a table occupied by four burly men already arguing about something.

“Oh no!” I quickly was by his side to help him up when the giant men stood up, looking taller and more menacing than I expected.

“This with you?” One of them, clean shaved with a mop haircut, wearing a check shirt and jeans, pointed at Azure and asked me.

“Hey watch your manners!” I glared at him.

“I think I’ll watch you instead, doll.” He leered while his peers snickered insolently.

“Hey what’s your problem buddy?” Azure snapped at him. “Mind your manners or you’ll be sorry you didn't!”

“O yeah!” The man growled. “Tell you what! Let’s solve this the old fashioned way.

You. Me. Arm wrestling. Yeah!”

By then the surrounding tables had become very interested in our little strife and I had a strong feeling that this would surely attract Demon before we got our butts out of there. The burly man and his ugly friends instantly got to clearing away their table by sweeping a large hand over its top and dumping everything on the floor. Somewhere in the background, a feminine voice cursed them for making that mess since she would have to clean it all up blah blah. Other people had already started lining their chairs around the ‘Arm Wrestling Table’ to watch the match.

“I have a very bad feeling about this,” I whispered to Azure.

“Ya think!” He looked around wildly. “I’m good at shifting shapes and hand me a sword, sure I can chop a head off or two but bare limb fight isn’t really my thing!” “You ready Shnookums?” The man leered up at Azure after seating himself on a chair. One more chair had been placed opposite him – waiting for Azure. “You win, you take the girl. I win, I keep the girl. And I always win!”

“Ugh! Would you please step away from the sixth century?” I glared at him. “You never ever keep people as a prize anymore.”

“But we do it here all the time!” The man’s grin widened. “You got a better suggestion, doll?”

“First off, quit calling me doll. Secondly – how about we just forget the whole thing?”

“No! No!” The crowd started to boo us at that suggestion and I couldn’t believe how primal these seemingly modern people actually were! They wanted a fight – just for fun.

“I say if Jay wins the Phromaz here transforms into anything we want!” One of the friends spoke up and the crowd went wild with cheers. Apparently they liked that idea a lot better than mine.

“I forbid this.” A familiar voice rose above everything else, bringing instant silence.

I was afraid to turn around because I could feel him right behind me. Jay however had his eyes pinned to the man behind me. He rose from his chair, quite reverently, bowing before speaking.

“I beg your pardon Krâl, we were just having a bit of fun.”

“Oh, I don't forbid the fun. I love arm wrestling. But my Minister won’t do it.” Demon replied.

There was a little gasp in the air as most people repeated the words ‘the Minister’. I gathered they hadn’t recognized Azure or else things wouldn’t have taken the turn they had.

“You have someone else in mind, Krâl?” Jay’s friend asked, chuckling but still respectful. “We won’t wrestle you if that’s what you mean.” “Of course not,” Demon said. “Wrestle the girl.”